Family-run decorative aggregate business, Deco-Pak has seen a changing of the guard, as brothers Craig and David Hall further take the reins at this thriving business. Here, they tell us more about their plans for the future of Deco-Pak.
Craig and David aren’t new faces at Deco-Pak, having worked at the company for many years, but their new roles, as Marketing Director and Commercial Director, respectively, place them both front and centre. Supported by General Manager, Rod Slater, Craig and David are now responsible for all areas of the day-to-day running of the business, as well as marketing, sales support, POS and merchandising displays, exhibitions and brand positioning, Craig and David have packed daily schedules, as they work to create a bright future for the company.
Shaping Deco-Pak with creativity
Founded in 2004 as a reincarnation of a previous family-business, Cem-Pak, Deco-Pak has come a long way over the past 18 years, most notably expanding its product portfolio from just 10 lines in 2004 to more than 500 by 2022.
Adding a creative twist to Deco-Pak’s offering is what is shaping much of Craig’s forward planning. He explained: “Deco-Pak has become synonymous with all things hard landscaping, including decorative aggregates, paving, water features and rockery essentials; and this will always remain. However, we want to look at the category with fresh eyes to identify new opportunities and product introductions that enhance our offering and increase consumer engagement across all consumer demographics.
“Ultimately, we want to positively disrupt the norms of the industry and to open up new conversations regarding sustainability and how we, as a supplier, are responding and adapting to ensure longevity for ourselves, our retailers, and the garden landscaping sector.
“We have some really exciting plans for the next two-to-three years and know that the changes we are going to make will represent a key milestone for both Deco-Pak and the wider aggregates sector.”
Honouring the legacy
Of course, the future of Deco-Pak is only possible due to the legacy that the business already has, built up by Craig and David’s own father, Michael, and in more recent years, by Rod Slater also. Talking about this, David said: “Building on the legacy that our father has built is vitally important to us, and we will work hard to ensure that his vision and that of Rod’s are at the forefront of our minds.
“We have been incredibly lucky to have been instilled with the right morals and a grounded work ethic to succeed in business and this industry. We are very proud of our heritage as a business and the foundations we have in place that enable us to push forward. We hope that our family values of togetherness and having a positive outlook on every situation shines through in what we do, and that our obsession for the finer detail also pays dividends for our customers.”
Navigating the pandemic & beyond
Having grown up in this industry and faced the normal challenges that come from running a business, Craig and David began their new chapter at the helm of Deco-Pak during one of the most volatile periods, the pandemic.
Despite the endless challenges that were thrown at the entire garden retail supply chain during this time, Deco-Pak witnessed unprecedented growth. A lot of this success is attributed to the incredible team in place, as Craig explained: “I have no doubt that we have been able to weather the storm thanks to two things: a solid foundation to build from, and a truly dedicated team. Everyone within the Deco-Pak family pulled together to ensure that we continued to fulfil orders, whilst also continuing to focus on vital new product development. They did whatever was needed to help us not only survive but to thrive – and, for that, we are forever grateful. Without them, we would not have achieved our home delivery service so quickly or diversified into growing media, as we now have. Our team has faced huge uncertainty and used it to create exciting and profitable opportunities.”
Deco-Pak in 2022
Six months into 2022 and Deco-Pak has already had an extremely busy year. Next up will be the annual Glee exhibition (28th – 30th June) which will see the company, led by Craig, David and Rod, launch new water features and showcase its now enhanced ‘retail theatre’ merchandising innovations that are expertly designed to help consumers ‘create the look’ through informative and aspirational point of sale material.
A barista will also be on hand throughout the show to help further fuel conversations, plus visitors will be treated to a sneak peek at Deco-Pak’s plans for increasing the business’ stance on sustainability, which will also be on display.
Find out more
To find out more about Deco-Pak’s leading product portfolio please visit www.deco-pak.co.uk or call 01422 204 394.
